The Kyiv-based aircraft making works AVIANT is
completing assembling the first AN-148-100 plane under a contract with the
Kazakh company SCAT.

According to AVIANT sources, the plane's fore
and middle parts were assembled at the AVIANT, whereas the plane's tail section
was made at the Voronezh (Russia) aviation production association
(VASO).

The Kharkiv State-Owned Aviation Production
Enterprise (KSAPE) has shipped the plane's central part to the AVIANT.

Under the contract with the SCAT the AVIANT
will ship seven AN-148-100 aircraft to the Kazakh customer. The first two
planes will be shipped in 2007, and the remainder will be delivered to Kazakhstan in 2008. Besides, the Kazakh company Berkut ("Mountain Eagle") has bought one
AN-148. The plane will be shipped to the customer in late 2006 after
certification trials.

Also, in September trials of an AN-32B plane
will start, the first aircraft of those five AN-32B
planes, which the AVIANT is making under its contract with the UAE.